In CODA (in cinemas and on Apple Plus), teenager Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones) wants to pursue her love of singing, at the urging of her music teacher (Eugenio Derbez) who can see her potential. But as the only member of her family who is not deaf, her Mum, Dad and Brother have come to rely on her, not least with their struggling fishing business.

The title is an acronym for Child Of Deaf Adults and it is that aspect that elevates this film above the level of an episode of the TV show Glee. Nothing is sugar-coated by writer/director Sian Heder. The family are fully functioning but are shown to be disadvantaged and discriminated against in small ways.

This is a remake of a French film La Famille Belier. I have not seen that, but it attracted controversy for its casting of hearing adults in the parts of deaf characters. In CODA, deaf actors, the most high profile one being Marlee Matlin as Ruby’s Mum, are in those roles. That adds to the air of authenticity, with Troy Kotsur particularly impressive as Frank, Ruby’s Dad.

But it is Jones who really stands out, giving an impassioned performance as she is torn between loyalty to her family and her dream of her musical career. She shows her talent at both acting and singing in what feels like a star making role.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10

With the screen dominated by vampires and particularly zombies in recent years, werewolves must feel like they have been under represented. That grievance has been partly addressed by Werewolves Within (usual rental services).

Ranger Finn Wheeler (Sam Richardson) arrives in a small town to start a new job. He is befriended by the unfeasibly lovely postal worker, Cecily (Milana Vayntrub) who shows him round the town, introducing the eccentric locals. Those include Wayne Duvall’s scheming oil company worker Sam Parker and Sarah Burns as Gwen, a craft toy maker.

When, due to a snowstorm and a power cut, a group get stranded in Jeanie Sherman’s (Catherine Curtin) inn, it becomes apparent that one of them is a werewolf who wants to kill off the others, one by one…

Josh Ruben’s movie is higher on chuckles than scares, but it also works effectively as a whodunnit. Finn and Cecily make a likeable pair and the final twist may be guessable it is not one that will induce groans.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Over on Netflix, one of their original productions, Beckett has recently been added. This is an old-fashioned innocent-man-on-the-run thriller starring John David Washington. He plays the title character, holidaying in Greece with his girlfriend April (Alicia Vikander).

In the aftermath of a car crash, he stumbles across a situation that makes him a wanted man, caught up in a political plot. He flees and tries to make his way to the American Embassy, but will he be safe there?

Anyone who has seen films like this before should be able to spot the bad guys quite easily. But that should not distract from your enjoyment. Director Ferdinando Cito Filomarino provides some slick action scenes and maintains interest during the quieter moments. Cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom gives the movie a real cinematic feel, even on a small screen. Washington convinces as the everyman hero though Vikander gets little to do.
Rating: 8 out of 10

For those with Amazon Prime, The Tomorrow War has been available for a few weeks.

When time travellers arrive from 2051 to tell the world that the human race are near extinction after an alien invasion. Soldier turned science teacher Dan Forester (Chris Pratt) is amongst those taken forward thirty years to take on the powerful foe.

This is an easy film to pick holes in. Many of the problems are the same with every time travel movie, in that it makes little logical sense. It also seems unlikely that technology would have moved on sufficiently for time travel to be achievable but not in weaponry that is proving to be useless against the aliens.

However, it is easy to forget those with the action moving quickly from one spectacular set piece to the next. Also, after seeing a lot of ropey special effects recently, it was good to witness such well rendered creatures. The cast is really impressive too. As well as Pratt, JK Simmons turns up in the final act, Sam Richardson is one of Dan’s fellow recruits, as is Mary Lynn Rajskub, and Betty Gilpin brings a lot to the relatively small part as Dan’s wife. I was less convinced, though, by Yvonne Strahovski, who plays his grown-up daughter.

Hardly original but a lot of fun.
Rating: 7 out of 10